An Open Letter to All the Working Moms Who Want to Quit

I’d like to welcome Megan Senese, our guest poster this week, who is going to give a bit of advice for those moms looking to make a career change or re-enter the workforce after a break (and for those who want to quit and may need to be talked off the ledge). She offers up some great resources to get you started on your hunt for more flexible employment options.

This is for the mamas that are desperately seeking the coveted “work-life balance”. Maybe you’re a mom who works 80 hours a week and dreams of a consistent 40 hour work week or perhaps you’re a mom who is doing the 9-5 grind and you want to work from home full time. Work-life balance is different for everyone, but I think most working moms just want some flexibility.

Women who leave the workforce all together not only lose their current annual salary, but also their additional cumulative wage growth of future earnings and lost retirement assets and benefits. Before you march into your boss’ office and say (or joyfully scream) “I quit” with nowhere to go and no plan in place, hang in there with me for a few moments. Let’s explore some options to remain in the workforce and find some flexibility, whatever that looks like for you and your family. Your savings account needs to hear it.

As a new working mom to a 15-month-old daughter, I have been through this same struggle. Below are some tips and resources that I, along with my professional network of working mamas, found valuable. I had no idea a lot of these organizations existed. Check out my summary of organizations that are posting meaningful career opportunities. I’m not a paid spokesperson for any of them….sadly (new business venture maybe??).

Working Mother.com: I constantly use the “Working Mother 100 best companies to work for” as a guide. While it might sound like overkill, I looked at all 100 companies for openings when I was searching for a new job. You never know how your current skills can translate into a new field, perhaps with a company that openly states they support working moms!

Saywerk.com: A new job search aggregator that I am loving right now is saywerk.com. With a paid membership, you are provided with already negotiated flex time options. You can search for remote only options, part-time or flex hours. The postings are for real jobs and careers.

themomproject.com: A free online digital platform (created by a mom in 2015) that connects women and men too with various opportunities such as project based, maternity leave replacements and permanent roles. This site requires candidates with a minimum of an undergraduate degree, 5+ years of experience and background check.

thesecondshift.com: The Second Shift focuses solely on recruiting women to keep the female talent in the workplace. They post project based openings for seasoned professionals and you pitch for the work. It’s free to join, but they collect a percentage of the money when you book a project and their terms & conditions they also state taking a percentage if the project turns to a fulltime position.

Apresgroup.com: An online community that specializes in women returning to the workforce but also offers postings for full-time, part-time, project-based, flex time and volunteer work to help with the transition.

About Megan:

I love helping women succeed and I am passionate about spreading the word to ensure women have an equal chance in the workplace. I was “that girl” on the playground who would proudly declare I was just as fast as the boys, and would be challenged every day to prove it (I was faster – for the record). As adult women, we are still proving our speed, our strength, our commitment and dedication. With over ten years of experience in professional marketing and business development, I recently launched a resume writing service after years of writing other people’s resumes and seeing them succeed with the updated version I wrote. Helping friends, family and my coworkers move on to better things fulfills me. All of my clients to date have been women and moms; we still need every advantage to not only land the job, but to get the right one for our families. If you are looking to make a career change or re-enter the workforce, check us out: www.mksresumeservices.com or email me directly at: [email protected]

Leah Ballard

Hi. I'm Leah. I'm a wife, mother, full-time employee and blogger. I am trying to juggle all these roles while also figuring out what I want to be 'when I grow up.' I hope you'll join me and gain some insights into your own professional journey along the way. Read More…